About

Gilbert Varga

ConductorPrincipal Conductor, Taipei Symphony Orchestra

Gilbert Varga, son of celebrated Hungarian violinist Tibor Varga, conducts with distinctive presence and flair. A commanding and authoritative figure on the podium, Varga is repeatedly acclaimed for performances displaying exquisite textures, a broad range of colours, and subtle use of dynamics. Renowned for his elegant and exceptionally clear baton technique, Varga has held positions with and guest-conducted many of the major orchestras across the world, and in 2013 was appointed Principal Conductor of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra.

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Varga has conducted orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, DSO Berlin, Radio Symphony Berlin, Orchestre de Paris, Oslo Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony. Highlights of his 2017/18 season include his returns to Konzerthaus Berlin, Royal Scottish National, Basque National and Malaysian Philharmonic orchestras amongst others. In the United States he conducts the symphony orchestras of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra on tour across the West Coast.

Gilbert Varga studied under three very different and distinctive maestros: Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Charles Bruck. In the earlier part of his conducting career Varga concentrated on work with chamber orchestras, particularly the Tibor Varga Chamber Orchestra, before rapidly developing a reputation as a symphonic conductor. He was Chief Conductor of the Hofer Symphoniker (1980-1985), and Chief Conductor of the Philharmonia Hungarica in Marl (1985-1990), conducting their debut tour to Hungary with Yehudi Menuhin. He was also Permanent Guest Conductor of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (1991-1995) and Principal Guest of the Malmö Symphony (1997-2000). In 1997 Varga became Music Director of the Basque National Orchestra, leading them through ten seasons, including tours across the UK, Germany, Spain and South America.

Varga’s discography includes recordings with various labels including ASV, Koch International, and Claves Records. His latest recording of cello concertos by Shostakovich & Martinů with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Christian Poltéra on BIS was released in May 2017, and his 2011 recording of concertos by Ravel and Prokofiev with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Anna Vinnitskaya on Naïve Records was given five stars by BBC Music Magazine.

2017/18 season / 342 words. Not to be altered without permission.

Performances

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Selected repertoire

Adams, JohnThe Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra

BarberAdagio for StringsMedea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance, Op.23a

Varga used his softly-spoken precision to magical effect in Ravel’s fairy-tale miniatures Ma mère l’oye… Then the orchestra suddenly swelled and Varga let rip in a searing account of Ravel’s frenzied La Valse… Right from a ghostly opening, Varga balanced charm with disturbing decadence, and the piece’s cataclysmic conclusion blazed with fire and fury. Truly a journey from calm to clamour.

The Scotsman

Varga proved a masterful interpreter... He pushed the symphony's emotional buttons hard, but didn't exaggerate; everything felt organic, inevitable. The conductor's flair for shaping a long crescendo proved especially admirable, making each gradation all the more gripping, each crest all the more shattering.

Baltimore Sun

Under the baton of Gilbert Varga, the orchestra gave a performance where sensitivity replaced sentimentality, and where virtuosity wasn’t used for show, but rather for a thorough exploration of the piece. His perfect shaping of the phrases, and his dynamic control of each movement left nothing to be desired, and he captivated the audience with the vitality and flexibility of his interpretation.